ENGL 1301- Evaluating Sources

Imagine that you are researching caffeine use among people aged sixty and over, and you come across a July 1998 article entitles "Caffeine and the Elderly" in the scholarly journal Drugs & Aging. Which of the following questions are most important to consider when judging the usefulness of this source?

IMPORTANT -Does it cover various points of view? -Is it available? -Is it reverent? -How current is it? -At what level is it written? NOT IMPORTANT -Is it comprehensive?

-government agencies -colleges or universities -commercial organization -nonprofit organizations -military

-.gov (government) -.edu (colleges) -.com (commercial) -.org (nonprofit) -.mil (military)

Sources that have URLs ending in .org can always be used in research projects. True or False

-False

Based on the abstract of "Choosing the Perfect Shot-the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in online News Coverage of Vaccines" which pf the following arguments do the authors most likely make in the article?

-Nearly one in eight vaccine-related news images carries negative connotations, which may have a negative impact on viewers' attitudes toward vaccination.

A writers is researching the practice of kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest. She finds an article in a sports entertainment magazine that expresses her opinion exactly. How could this source be used is a project?

-as a representation of view that are circulating in the popular media

1.Who is the sponsor of this website? 2.How current is this source? 3.Does this source have a specific stance? 4. Who is this source's audience?

1. Mass.gov 2. Related provides dates 3. the main paragraphs is for stance 4. the title indicates the source

You should approach sources with an open mind but consider arguments with a critical eye, keeping in mind a number of questions. What is the author's stance? Does it seem objective, or does the content or language reveal a particular ______? Are opposing view considered and treated _____? Does this source support or _____ your own position-or does it do both? Does it support a different argument altogether? Does it represent a position you need to address? Do you recognize ideas you have run across in other _____? Are you a member of the ____ addressed-and if not, does that affect the way you interpret what you read? -audience -fairly -bias -sources -challenge

1. bias 2. fairly 3. challenge 4. sources 5. audience

One way to determine whether a source is useful for a writer's purpose is to consider the publisher of the source. If the source is a book, what kind of _____ published it; if an article, what kind of ____ did it appear in? Books that are published by university presses and articles that appear in scholarly journals are reviewed by ___ public do not undergo rigorous ____ or fact-checking. -experts -review -company -periodical

1. company 2. periodical 3. experts 4. review

One way to determine whether a source is useful is to consider its relevance. How well does a source relate to the write's ____? What would it add to the writer's work? to get a sense of what the source covers, look at the ____ and at any _______ material (such as a preface or an abstract). -footnote -introductory -opinion -purpose -document type -title

1. purpose 2. title 3.introductory

Pne way to determine whether a source is useful is to consider the author's credentials. Has the author written other works on this _____? Is the author known for a particular _____ on it? If the credentials are not stated, you might do a ____ to see what else you can learn about the author. -position -search -subject

1. subject 2. position 3. search

It is important to consider an author's credentials when evaluating whether or not a source might be useful. Based on their credentials, which of the following authors are likely to be useful and authoritative sources for a project on persuasive advertisement techniques?

AUTHORITATIVE -Gregory Ciotti, a marketing strategist and guest writer on marketing strategies for Entrepreneur magazine NOT AUTHORITATIVE - Dr. Craig Chamberlain, PhD in molecular biology -Simon Brown, a college student majoring in marketing

Are the following statements about the publication dates of sources correct or incorrect?

CORRECT -If a website lists no publication or update, you should see if links to other sites still work. Checking links is one way to determine whether the site is too dated to use. -A recent publication date doesn't always mean a potential source is good; some topics require current information, whereas others call for older sources. INCORRECT -It is always okay to use a source that has no date as long as the source contains information that supports your point.

Are the following statements about the works cited by a source correct or incorrect?

CORRECT -The fact that a source is cited in other authors' works is one indicator that the source maybe useful. -The fact that a source cites other credible, useful sources is one indicator that the source may be useful. INCORRECT -The fact that all the works cited by a source have same perspective is one indicator that the source may be useful.

Some areas of study require current information; others call for older sources, or mix of current and older sources. Which of the following research topics likely require current sources only? Which likely allow for both current and historical sources? 1. philosophies on childhood education 2. the best medical procedures for heart problems

CURRENT AND HISTORICAL SOURCES -philosophies on childhood CURRENT SOURCES -the best medical procedures for heart problems -effects of fracking on the environment

A student is researching how teenagers spend their leisure time. She comes across this line graph in a report by the Pew Research Center on social media use in 2018 and wants to use it in her project. What are some of the important questions she should ask when deciding whether to use the source?

IMPORTANT -Who compiled the information in the graph/ -What is the purpose of the graph? -How was the information in the graph compiled? LESS IMPORTANT -Is the graph attractive enough to use? -Is it easy to figure out how to cite the graph?

read the abstract for the article "Choosing the Perfect Shot- the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in Online News Coverage of Vaccines." Which of the following people are likely to be among the intended audience of this article?

INTENDED AUDIENCE -people in a health-related field -journalists -academics who study rhetoric and its influence upon public perceptions -people with an interest in scholarly studies NOT INTENDED AUDIENCE -people interested in some light reading

Critically reading sources means being able to extract and understand the reasons and evidence authors provide to support their argument. Read the abstract for the article "Choosing the Perfect Shot-the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in online News Coverage of Vaccines" and select the evidence the authors provide to support their conclusion.

vaccine-related images from Google News Archive

Which steps are most useful when determining the stance of a source?

USEFUL -Research the author to see if they are known for a particular position on the subject. -Note whether the source covers various points of view or advocates only one perspective. -Consider whether the title of the source suggests a certain slant. LESS USEFUL -Read through the source's bibliography. -Look up difficult words.

A writer wants to study the impact of glacier melt over time. She finds a website that discusses the effects of glacier melt, but it's published by an environmental group for the purpose of promoting environmentally friendly policies, and it has a clear bias . Which of the following statements are correct?

-CORRECT STATEMENT -This source could provide additional sources for the writer to research. -This source could provide evidence for the writer's argument in conjunction with other sources. -WRONG STATEMENT This source could be the writer's only source, because it presents a perspective she agrees with.

A student is writing a paper on universal preschool and finds a blog that she wants to use as a source. The blog includes the first name of the author, but the student can't find a publication date or any biographical information about the author. This source would be acceptable to use. True or False

False

If a source is published on line it's credible. True or False

False

If an author's credentials are not stated or linked to within a source, that source should not be used. True or False

False

Imagine that you are researching the topic of police shootings in order to eventually pose and investigate a question. When researching, you should only search for sources that reinforce your own opinion on the subject. True or False

False

When deciding whether to use a source, you should be sure that the source reflects only your own arguments. presenting multiple perspectives tends to weaken a project's credibility and confuse readers. True or False

False

A student is trying to decide whether a source is credible. She has never heard of the author before, and she doesn't see a link that might provide more information. She doesn't need to look for more information about the author, though, because the information in the source is just what she was looking for. True of False

False ( Always try to find information about the author or a potential source)

Which questions are most important to ask when critically evaluating a source's argument?

IMPORTANT -Are there references or links-and if so, are they credible? -How thoroughly does the author consider alternative arguments? -What arguments does the author make? LESS IMPORTANT -How entertaining is the augment? -How easy is the argument to understand?

Which of the following are most important to consider when evaluating the usefulness of a source?

IMPORTANT -The source is cited in other works -The source contains a bibliography that leads to other credible and useful sources. -The source substantially addresses a topic you plan to cover. -The source is readily available NOT IMPORTANT -The source agrees with your opinion. -The source is published online.

A writer is studying recycling practices, and she finds an article written by an organization that is pro-recycling. The article presents only one perspective on this issue. When is it acceptable for the writer to use a source like this?

The writer can use this source as long as she explains the source's stance and includes other perspectives.

A writer researching a proposed bill to ban abortion finds an article about some of the controversies surrounding abortions. The article isn't directly relevant to his project, but the article contains an extensive bibliography. The student should consider this a potentially useful source. True or False

True